Keighley College hosts town’s first ever TEDx talk

Keighley College will host the town’s first ever TEDx talk on 24 February at its Bradford Road campus.

Taking place from 9am until 6pm, the college will be welcoming guest speakers from a variety of sectors including health, technology, entrepreneurship, and marketing. TEDx is an international community that organises TED-style events across the globe, celebrating locally-driven ideas and elevating them to a global stage.

TEDx events are produced independently of TED conferences, with each event curating speakers on their own based on TED’s format and rules.

Kevin O’Hare, principal at Keighley College, said: “We are delighted to be bringing together speakers to share their views on a range of subjects that will inspire and engage our students and the wider community.

“This is an opportunity to raise the profile of Keighley and introduce the community to a range of exciting opportunities to expand their horizons and mindsets, as well as hear from like-minded experts in their fields who share their thinking and ideas that will lead to growth in the town and its surrounding areas.”

The overall theme for Keighley’s TEDx is ‘life chances’. The event will take into account the unprecedented experiences and stories that the world – and the Keighley district – has faced in light of the pandemic.

Speakers will include leaders from around Keighley who will cover topics such as mental health and wellbeing, start-ups and sustainability, positive marketing and more.

Tim Rogers, Founder of Future Transformations that runs TEDx, said: “Keighley has a rich history with the globally recognised Bronte Parsonage, Keighley Worth Valley Railway, manufacturing businesses and engineering businesses continuing to be the town’s bread and butter.

“Hosting it at Keighley College makes sense. Not only is it recognisable, it’s also important to highlight the college’s role in the town and its significance in shaping the minds, characters and skills of the workforce.”

Tim added that diversity of the town is key and that by representing the people of the town with their experiences, culture, and backgrounds, it would also showcase the town’s inclusiveness and commitment to building a better, stronger, and sustainable community.

“Keighley needs to bring together all of its assets, communities, educators and businesses to make it a sustainable place to live and work and I believe the town has the capacity, intellectual authority and motivation to become a successful, prosperous place which welcomes new ideas, business and education.”

The flagship TED Conference is held annually on the North American West Coast. The breadth of content includes science, business, the arts, technology, and global issues.

The event is free to attend, and the college would like to welcome businesses and members of the community to join. 100 tickets are available and can be obtained by sending an email to info@futuretransformation.org.